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Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Dubrulle, J; Kauffman, K; Soarimalala, V; Randriamoria, T; Goodman, SM; Herrera, J; Nunn, C; Tortosa, P
Published in: bioRxiv
December 24, 2023

Hantaviruses are globally distributed zoonotic pathogens capable of causing fatal disease in humans. Rodents and other small mammals are the typical reservoirs of hantaviruses, though the particular host varies regionally. Addressing the risk of hantavirus spillover from animal reservoirs to humans requires identifying the local mammal reservoirs and the predictors of infection in those animals, such as their population density and habitat characteristics. We screened native and non-native small mammals and bats in northeastern Madagascar for hantavirus infection to investigate the influence of habitat, including effects of human land use on viral prevalence. We trapped 227 bats and 1663 small mammals over 5 successive years in and around Marojejy National Park across a range of habitat types including villages, agricultural fields, regrowth areas, and secondary and semi-intact forests. Animals sampled included endemic tenrecs (Tenrecidae), rodents (Nesomyidae) and bats (6 families), along with non-native rodents (Muridae) and shrews (Soricidae). A hantavirus closely related to the previously described Anjozorobe virus infected 9.5% of Rattus rattus sampled. We did not detect hantaviruses in any other species. Habitat degradation had a complex impact on hantavirus prevalence in our study system: more intensive land use increase the abundance of R. rattus. The average body size of individuals varied between agricultural and nonagricultural land-use types, which in turn affected infection prevalence. Smaller R.rattus had lower probability of infection and were captured more commonly in villages and forests. Thus, infection prevalence was highest in agricultural areas. These findings provide new insights to the gradients of hantavirus exposure risk for humans in areas undergoing rapid land use transformations associated with agricultural practices.

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Published In

bioRxiv

DOI

EISSN

2692-8205

Publication Date

December 24, 2023

Location

United States
 

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Dubrulle, J., Kauffman, K., Soarimalala, V., Randriamoria, T., Goodman, S. M., Herrera, J., … Tortosa, P. (2023). Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar. BioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.12.24.573235
Dubrulle, Jérémy, Kayla Kauffman, Voahangy Soarimalala, Toky Randriamoria, Steven M. Goodman, James Herrera, Charles Nunn, and Pablo Tortosa. “Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar.BioRxiv, December 24, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.12.24.573235.
Dubrulle J, Kauffman K, Soarimalala V, Randriamoria T, Goodman SM, Herrera J, et al. Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar. bioRxiv. 2023 Dec 24;
Dubrulle, Jérémy, et al. “Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar.BioRxiv, Dec. 2023. Pubmed, doi:10.1101/2023.12.24.573235.
Dubrulle J, Kauffman K, Soarimalala V, Randriamoria T, Goodman SM, Herrera J, Nunn C, Tortosa P. Effect of habitat degradation on hantavirus infection among introduced and endemic small mammals of Madagascar. bioRxiv. 2023 Dec 24;

Published In

bioRxiv

DOI

EISSN

2692-8205

Publication Date

December 24, 2023

Location

United States